Electric soldering iron



F. F. QUEDNOW AND G. I. VOKEL.

ELECTRIC SOLDERING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 27, 1921.

Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

Patented @et 39 STATES.

FREDERCK F. QUEDN'W AND GEORGE il'.I VOKEL, PHLAIDEIliPHIAi7TENN'SYZUVANIA.

PATENT ELECTRIC SOLDERI'NG IBQN.

Application filed tlctoberr 27, 1921. Serial No. 510,739.,

and which shall include means w ereby the.

degree of heat of the iron may be conveniently varied at will,

We further desire to provide a soldering iron with nove-l means forsupporting its heating element, which means shall be of -a constructionadapted for the convenient subdivision and e'liicient operation of saidelement.

These objects and other advantageous ends we attain as hereinafter `setforth7 reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a soldering ironconstructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of parts of the lava tubes `for supporting theheating elements, showing one of said tubes partly inserted in theother;

Figs. 3 and d are vertical sections respectively on the lines 3-3 and4--fl, Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections viewed from opposite directions andtaken on the line 5 5, Fig. l; i

Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating the means forobtaining diiierent degrees of heat; and 4 Fig. 9 is a fragmentaryvertical section of a slightly modified form of our soldering iron.

ln the above drawings, 1 represents a handle ot wood or other electricalinsulating material which is a oor conductor of heat, and this is madetu ular ,for the reception in one end of the tubular body 2--3. The part3 of this body is of larger diameter than the part 2 and has detachablyconnected to it by means of a series of screws a cylindrical metal shell4 into whose open forward end lits the flange 5 of a metallic sleeve textending substantially concentric with it and inside of the same.Within the sleeve tt is closely fitted a cylindrical stein 7 integralwith the soldering point 8, which as shown has a flat shoulder or endportion held in close contact with the flange 5 and is immovably heldwithin the sleeve 6 by -a set screw 9. By loosening this screw thesoldering point maybe removed to permit of the insertion of other pointsci different sizes vand forms. Within the space between the shell l andthe sleeve 6 are mounted two telescoping tubes of suitable highlyrefractory electrical insulating material made in the present instanceof lava and having molded or otherwise formed in their eir-l ,ternalsurfaces helical grooves 'for the reception of the wire heating coils10--11 and 12-13 of our soldering iron.

ln the present instance we preferably employ, and have illustrated eachof the tubes 14, and 15 as provided with double thread so that each tubemay receive one part of each heating coil and we prevent relative rota-vtion of said` tubes by forming a projecting tongue 16 on one of themvand providing the other with a correspondingly lormedra cess 17 for thereception of said projection.l

ln'the rear end ol the shell Ll immediately adjacent the ends of thetubes 1l and 15 'we mount a terminal plate i8 oi 4insulating materialcarrying three terminals 1.9, 2O and 2l of which the last is connectedto one terminal ot the coil 12 whose second terminal is connected to oneend of the coil 13.

The terminal 20 is connected to one terminal ci' the coil l0 whosesecondterminal is connected to one terminal ot the coil 11. The secondterminals oi the two coils 11 and 18 are connected together and througha wire 22 are connected to the terminal d19` Forming part ot orassociated with each of these three terminals are plates each havingtherein a hole extending parallel with the central line of the solderingiron and itv is noted that the two coils or windings 10 and 11 areplaced in the double helical groove of one ci the lava tubes 14, whilethe other two coils or windings 11 and 13 are similarly wound in thedouble grooves of the other tube 15. i

ln the rear end of the handle 1 is mounted an insulating plate or block23'held in place- Aoit three insulated conductors extendinglongitudinally through handle through the body 237 trom 1whose iront endthey project sufficiently to be insertalole Within the openings in theterminal plates 19, 2O and 2l on the insulating bloeit i8. rlhese lirontends oiisaid conductors are lilievvise' slotted so they, like theopposite ends, constitute plugs which are more or less resilient andtightly tit into the terminal plates;y being noted that While the con.-ductors 2d and 2t are preferably ot the same diameter that ot theconductor is oia diameter materially larger than the others.

rlhe rear end ot the handle is closed by a head piece 27 having mountedWithin it a flanged insulating block 28 projectingso as to be capable offitting into the rear open end oi' the handle l. This block is suitablyfastened in the head piece and carries a pair of `terminal plates 29 and30, in addition to which it has a hole 31 capable ot receiving;A thelarge diameter end of the plusn 25. rlhe plate 29 has a terminal screw32 tor the connection of a supply conductor leading from a cable 33extendinginto and lined in the head 2? and a second conductor 'from saidcable is connected by a screw Cll to the terminal plateO. This latterhas in it two suitably spaced holes 35 and 36 of which one is designedto receive the large diameter plug 25 and the other to receive either otthe small diameter plugs 2li. The terminal plate 29 likewise is providedWith a hole parallel with the holes 35 and ot such a diameter as to beclosely fitted by either of the small diameter plugs.

lVith the above described arrangrnent ot parts, it the head 27 beapplied to the handle so that the large diameter plug1 25 enters the'opening 36 and the two plugs 2li and 26 enter the openings 35 and 37,current is then free to flow through the coils l0-l3 as indicated inFig, 7, under which conditions the two pairs ot coils lll-Til and l2- 13are connected in parallel and heat the sleeve 6i stem 7 and point 8 to amaximum temperature. It, however, the head 27 be applied to the handle lso that the large diameter plug 25 extends into the hole 3l While theplugs 26 and 24 extend into the holes and 35, then but a single pair ofthe. coils, as 10-13, is in circuit, so that While the point 8 isheated, its temperature is not so high as before. The handle 1 isprovided with a pair of passages l0 permit tingl circulation of' airaround the part of the body 2 Which projects into it. as Well as fromWithin said body, so that danger of excessive heating ot' the handle isprevented. 'if desired. we may altogether omitl the metallic sleeve (iand as shown in lligft) insert the cm 7 directly within the inner tubele. as before however, pr-:Widinfr a metallic thingie in the t'orin of a*ig fbiior the reception oii a set screw 9 the stein 7".

shell is rigidly connected to @bvionsly in case ot damage to the coilsor the lava tubes leland l5, We may remove the latter with the utmostease merely by takingI ont the screws lll which hold the part 3 ot thebody to the shell il and ivithdrawing the handle and bodyv with the plug25 and 26 'from engagement with thc terminal plates 19, 2O and 2l.Thereafter the insulating1 block 18 with the tubes and heating elementsmay be withdrawn "from the shell l and sepznatedby disconnectineI thenecessary wires.

From the above description it will be ap preciated ive are enabled tovary the teniperature to which the point 8 is raised or maintained by aquick an-; convenient adjustment, the various parts of the device being`simple in construction and arranged in a substantial manner so that theyare not likely to get out ot order. @Wing to the different diameters otthe ends of the conductors constituting the plugs 2d, 25 and 26, thevarious parts are necessarily connected in either ot tivo desired ivaysivitln out possibility of their being' so inserted as to short circuitthe supply conductors.

lt desired a sleeve or Wrapping` l0 of material such as asbestos orother poor conductor ot heat may be placed upon or around the outer lavatube with its Winding and the shell 4to prevent excessive heating ot thelatter. lWhile the head or end structure is shown as constituting partot' the handle, it may be utilizcdffas a support and receptacle tor thesoldering iron as a wholen in which case the plugs 24-26 not only serveto conduct current to the heating coils, but also act asmechanicalsupporting or connecting members.

ldlc claim:

l. The combination in a soldering;5 iron ot a soldering point; andelectrical heating meansvtheretor comprising a plurality ot telescopingrinsulating tubes; with an electrically heated conductor on said tubes.

2. The combination in a. soldering; iron oi' a soldering point;electrical heating means therefor comprising a plurality o"telescopingginsulating tubes and an ai trically heated conductor on saidtubos; with means 'for preventing relative rotation ol the tubes. v

3. rThe combination in a solderi iron of a soldering' point having' astein .7; a plurality of telescoping tubes mounted concentrically withsaid stem; and an electrically heated conductor mounted on said tubesIl. rlhe combination in a soldo iron ot a soldering; point having astemy a naetallic sleeve on said stern; a pluralityv olt reiractorytubes mounted concentric-ally arriuntl the stem; and an el lctricallyheated coinluctoi' carried by the ies.

5. The combination in. soldering irrita ot a handle; a shell attachedthereto; a soldering point having a stem extending into said shell; aheating conductor for the point;

and a plurality of refractory tubes supporting said conductor Within theshell.

6. The combination in a soldering iron of a soldering point; electricalheating means therefor comprising a plurality of refractory tubessupporting said conductors; and means for causing current to How to oneor both of said conductors at will.

7. The combination in a soldering iron of a soldering point; electricalheating means therefor comprising a plurality of conductors; a handle; ahead, supply con-V ductors extending into the head; contacts on the headconnected to the supply conductors and cooperating contacts on thehandle formed to connect the'heating elenected to the shell; means fordetachablyl connecting the handle to the shell; electrical heating meansin the shell; a terminal block; contacts thereon connected to theheating elements; conductors 'in the handles detachably .engaging saidcontacts; a head for the handle; with terminals carried 'by of a handle;a soldering point; a

said head for connection to supply conductors and formed to detachablyengage the conductors of the handle.

10. The combination in a soldering iron of a handle; a soldering point;electricall heating means for said soldering point; conductors connectedto said heating means and extending through the handle; a head for thehandle; with terminals on the head for connection to the supplyconductors and including means for engaging the conductors of the handlein a plurality of combinations to vary the heat produced by the heatingmeans. l

11. The combination in a soldering iron plurality of electrical heatingelements for said point; conductors connected to said elements andprojecting from the handle to form contact v plugs; a head on-thehandle; terminals on the head for connection to supply conductors andformed to receive the contact plugs of the handle in a plurality ofdifferent combinations to vary the degree of heat produced by theheating element.

'12. The combination in a soldering iron of a handle; a'soldering point;a plurality of electrical heating elements for sald point; conductorsconnected to said elements and havino' portions constituting contactplugs of diierent diameters; a head for the handle; terminals thereonhaving portions of different diameters formed to cooperate with thecontact plugs in a plurality of different combinations; with conductorsconnected to said terminal members.;

FREDERICK -F. QUEDNOW. GEORGE VOKEL.

